DEWITT

Academia Endless Drive

January 16, 2018

The Academia Endless Drive reveals an original design, consistent with the strong and distinct character of DeWitt creations, with an endless screw as the dial’s distinguishing piece

The most striking feature is the innovative design of the new Academia Endless Drive’s dial, whose centre features a rotating endless screw, a nod to automotive mechanics, the field of inspiration preferred by the brand's founder, Count Jérôme de Witt. The curves of the screw in unidirectional movement denote an irreversible rotation that fascinates the observer and serves as an allegory for time itself. Through both aesthetics and function, the model forms a new addition to DeWitt's series of watch creations with strong and distinct character.

As usual, the Geneva-based Manufacture de Haute Horlogerie innovates and offers a winding mechanism that confers an unusual movement to the helical screw, which is linked to the power reserve’s winding system. More precisely, the model features two degrees of freedom. As the 59-hour power reserve decreases, the screw rotates. When the barrel is wound, the screw slides on its longitudinal axis.

The timepiece’s prowess lies in the design idea's materialisation, which honours endless screw mechanism, animated in a decidedly unique way.

The Geneva-based Manufacture de Haute Horlogerie’s teams of engineers and master watchmakers adapted the standard DeWitt 5050 automatic movement, entirely developed, produced and assembled by hand in order to give life to a model with shocking allure.

The hand-crafted dial meets the very high standard of finishes adopted by the Manufacture. What's more, the time display is no exception to the brand’s drive to distinguish itself through exceptional timepieces. The hours and minutes are indicated with two discs located at 9 and 3 o’clock that rotate around a fixed central piece.

The 42.5 mm diameter round case creates an interplay of contrasting effects through the combination of traditional and innovative materials, 18-carat rose gold and black rubber, subtly recreating the famous imperial column motif, the distinctive signature of the brand with the symbol of Emperor Napoleon I. Two small "W" signatures are also found on the crown and on the buckle.

Linked more closely than ever to the exclusive end of the market with the Academia Endless Drive model, the DeWitt Manufacture has once again demonstrated watchmaking expertise and instilled awe through continuous creativity.